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Topic Review (Newest First)

03-11-2014 09:07 AM

MikeJohns

Re: Google Earth?

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkofSeaLife

Google Earth is absolutly accurate.
There are programs to cache Google Earth inages, and on a PC the images are cached for a while anyway.

Some locations in the South Pacific are pitifully charted. Tonga is a good example where some of the islands in the popular Va'vu group are a half mile out. That would be fine... But hell for seeing the reefs in between!

I think Google Earth is excellent for cruisers, not only for navigation but for the simplest sounding things that tun out to be quite important... Finding, even, the dinghy dock in a new area! Just zoom in and look for all those little grey blobs.

Yes if the pics are good you can tell a lot looking at a combination of chart and the aerial view. There's a tremendous amount of very useful info you can see in the aerial pics.

I set the Cache to max 2GB ( In Google Tools, options, cache) then delete the cache and browse the all the coastlines and save the cache file for each destination.

Offline ( aboard) I then load the saved cache into the cache directory for the area I want to look at.

Using XP the cache is stored here:
C:\Documents and Settings\Xis\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\GoogleEarth but you will need to enable "show hidden files, folders, and drives" in Folder Options before you can see these folders.

For the PC challenged you could get someone to set up a simple s c r i p t file or even drag the appropriately named location folder contents into the cache folder.

03-03-2014 10:47 AM

aquilla

Re: Google Earth?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Classic30

I suppose next thing they'll come up with is 'street view' for the water..

That is a wonderful idea.. what should we do to encourage them?

no need for Google Mars, give us boat view!

02-25-2014 08:33 AM

MarkofSeaLife

Re: Google Earth?

Google Earth is absolutly accurate.
There are programs to cache Google Earth inages, and on a PC the images are cached for a while anyway.

Some locations in the South Pacific are pitifully charted. Tonga is a good example where some of the islands in the popular Va'vu group are a half mile out. That would be fine... But hell for seeing the reefs in between!

I think Google Earth is excellent for cruisers, not only for navigation but for the simplest sounding things that tun out to be quite important... Finding, even, the dinghy dock in a new area! Just zoom in and look for all those little grey blobs.

02-24-2014 11:11 PM

Unkle Toad

Re: Google Earth?

we were out and had some electrical problems .. used google maps on an Iphone to get us back into the harbor worked like a charm .. we knew the area just low enough visability that we couldnt figure out anything .. and all the lights went out on us .. great to have the backup.

02-24-2014 11:07 PM

ebs001

Re: Google Earth?

On my iPad I have an app called Maps. You need an Internet connection but it shows a live flashing icon of the boats position on a moving overhead picture. It's very cool to use but I can also see its value in strange areas.

The iPad has a built in GPS which is very accurate. Right now it has the boat exactly where it is.

02-24-2014 09:59 PM

erps

Re: Google Earth?

Quote:

I agree, its good to get a look at an inlet or harbor. I would not *rely* on it though, Google Earth Images can be out of date by a year or more.

I've used google earth on a laptop to navigate narrow channels at nearby river deltas. While the google earth image could be a year old, the chart soundings could be thirty years or forty years old.

02-24-2014 09:51 PM

socal c25

Re: Google Earth?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Classic30

I suppose next thing they'll come up with is 'street view' for the water..

Lets name it "Boat View"

02-24-2014 08:32 PM

Classic30

Re: Google Earth?

I suppose next thing they'll come up with is 'street view' for the water..

02-24-2014 07:09 PM

Bradhamlet

Re: Google Earth?

I also use it to orient myself with an anchorage or harbor. It helps you get a visual feel for the place. Not that we don't use charts but it's another aid to help you out.

Brad
Lancer 36

02-24-2014 05:44 PM

bristol299bob

Re: Google Earth?

I agree, its good to get a look at an inlet or harbor. I would not *rely* on it though, Google Earth Images can be out of date by a year or more.